1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a treatment method for a living tissue using energy.
2. Description of the Related Art
In US Patent Application Publication No. US2005/0113828 A1, an electrosurgical instrument is disclosed in which a living tissue is held between a pair of openable/closable jaws, and a high-frequency current is applied between the pair of jaws holding the living tissue therebetween to denature the held living tissue. Here, in the electrosurgical instrument, high-frequency energy flows thorough the living tissue to immediately denature the inside of the tissue by use of Joule heat generated in the living tissue. Then, the electrosurgical instrument immediately destroys cell membranes to release, from the destroyed cell membranes, an intracellular fluid including polymer compounds typified by protein, and homogenizes (liquefies) intracellular components with extracellular components typified by collagen. Such homogenization can result in the mutual bonding of bonding faces of the living tissues and the mutual bonding of interlayers of the tissues. It is to be noted that when the high-frequency energy is applied to the living tissue, the state (impedance or phase information) of the living tissue can be detected. In general, there are characteristics that as the impedance of the held living tissue is high, the output of the high-frequency energy which can be applied to the living tissue decreases.
In Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2001-190561, a coagulation treatment instrument is disclosed in which a pair of openable/closable jaws are provided with a ceramic heater. In the ceramic heater, a heating element is embedded, and when a power is supplied through the heating element, the ceramic heater generates heat. Then, the heat of the ceramic heater is conducted to the living tissue held between the pair of jaws to coagulate the living tissue. At this time, if the heat is generated at a set temperature from the heating element, the heat energy can uniformly be applied to the living tissue regardless of the state of the living tissue. Therefore, the desired output can uniformly be performed, even in a state in which the high-frequency energy cannot sufficiently be output to the living tissue in the treatment using the high-frequency energy, for example, after the impedance of the living tissue rises.